Shiho Katō

is a Japanese actress, model, and television personality. She is an exclusive model for the fashion magazine CanCam and starred as Ayaka Usagida in Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko! (2024−2025).

Katō began her career as a member of girl group Hinatazaka46 (formerly Hiragana Keyakizaka46) from 2016 to 2024 and made her acting debut in the group's drama Re:Mind (2017). She served as lead performer for the group's single "Kimi Shika Katan" (2021) and was known as one of the group's strongest vocalists.

Career

2016−2018: Early career

Katō made her television acting debut in the group's drama series Re:Mind (2017) on TV Tokyo and Netflix, portraying a character named after herself, and theater debut in the group's stage play Ayumi (2018).

In 2018, she became a center (lead performer) for the first time for "Happy Aura", released on the Keyakizaka46 single "Ambivalent". Her first solo song, "Otoko Tomodachi Dakara", was released on Hiragana Keyakizaka46's debut album Hashiridasu Shunkan (2018). She also represented Hiragana Keyakizaka46 in "Kokkyō no Nai Jidai", a collaboration song between the AKB48 Group and the Sakamichi Series franchises released under the group name SakamichiAKB and released on the AKB48 single "Jabaja" (2018). She and Kyōko Saitō were particularly recognized for their vocal abilities and were often assigned to the front rows of song formations on either side of the center, earning them the nickname which remained popular throughout their tenure.

2019−2024: Hinatazaka46 Hiragana Keyakizaka46 was spun off from Keyakizaka46 and renamed to Hinatazaka46 in March 2019. Katō was again included in the lineup of another SakamichiAKB song, "Hatsukoi Door", released on the AKB48 single "Jiwaru Days" (2019). In 2021, she became the center for the fifth single title song, "Kimi Shika Katan". She performed two more solo songs, "Nageki no Delete" on "Kimi Shika Katan" and "Docchi ga Saki ni Iu?" on "Zettaiteki Dairokkan" (2024), making her the Hinatazaka46 member with the most solo songs released as of 2024.

Kato was the Tuesday regular co-host for the radio program Recommen! on Nippon Cultural Broadcasting from 2019 to 2023. Her regular modeling work began in February 2019 when she became an exclusive model for the fashion magazine CanCam. She appeared on the cover of the October edition with then-Nogizaka46 members Sayuri Matsumura and Mizuki Yamashita as the "Three Sakamichi Sisters".

Katō's first photobook, titled #Aitai, was released by Shogakukan on June 20, 2023, with photographs taken in Oahu, Hawaii, where she had fond memories from a childhood family vacation. It is the first Hinatazaka46 photobook produced overseas. It topped the Oricon Weekly Book Ranking for its release week with 46 thousand copies sold.

Katō's first drama appearance independent of Hinatazaka46 was in (2021) on the streaming service Smash. In 2024, she appeared in Kore kara Haishin Hajimemasu (TX Network) and the yuri drama Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko! (MBS TV), her first leading roles in terrestrial television dramas, co-starring with Kanna Mori.

On August 6, 2024, Katō announced that she would leave Hinatazaka46 after the promotions for the upcoming twelfth single have concluded, with plans to further her careers in acting and beauty and fashion. Her "graduation" ceremony took place at the Tokyo Dome on December 25, as part of Hinatazaka46's national Happy Magical Tour 2024.

2025−present: Solo career Katō starred in Boku no Azatoi Motokano, a drama series expanding on the TV Asahi romance short drama/talk show series Azatokute Nani ga Warui no?, which started airing in January 2025.

Image In 2018, Real Sound described Katō as a "beautiful comedienne" and that her appeal lied in the contrast between her "cool" appearance and her comedic reactions and expression, which belied her dedication to Hiragana Keyakizaka46 as a "leading figure".

Filmography Television series

Film

Variety and talk shows

Discography

(2018, released on "Ambivalent"), first time as center (lead performer), namesake of Hinatazaka46's concept "Yasashisa ga Jama o Suru" ("Do Re Mi Sol La Si Do" B-side, 2019), as the "Respect Three" trio with Miho Watanabe and Hinano Kamimura "Kimi Shika Katan" (2021), title song center (2021, released on "Kimi Shika Katan")